FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 8, 2011

Committee Votes to Strip Board of Education of Any Checks and Balances Power

Monday, the Senate Education Committee voted down party lines to remove any checks and balances in place for Superintendent Barresi.

Republicans asserted this will give ‘accountability back to the voters’, while Democrats objected that this was a power grab and will give Barresi total power over 35 percent of the budget.

Todd Goodman, Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, released the following statement in response to the decision:

“This vote has nothing to do with giving accountability back to the voters. It was a knee-jerk reaction to a contentious board meeting that resulted in the board voting down Barresi’s unqualified position appointments. As Sen. Lerblance said, it’s a power grab by the powerful, that is now being ramrodded through the Legislature. In actuality, this vote will result in less transparency for the voters.  Barresi will have control of 35 percent of the budget with absolutely no checks and balances in place.  Other statewide offices have someone to answer to. Whether it be the courts the Attorney General answers to or the Legislature the Governor and Lt. Governor answer to, there are checks and balances in place for a reason.  If this passes, one person will be making the decisions that affect all of Oklahoma’s children. This cannot be what the voters had in mind when voting Barresi in office.”

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